Chapter 121: Lucius’ Plot
For a while, no one spoke, the corridor was very quiet, and Evan thought they had already left.
Then, he heard a sound again. It was Hagrid’s resonant, loud cry.
“Keep it down, Hagrid, you will wake up the two children inside” Professor McGonagall said sternly. “I know you are worried about them, but can you please calm down for a moment? It’s been an hour since we came back from Hogsmeade, and you’re still crying!”
Hagrid wiped his tears with his large handkerchief and tried to calm himself down. His sad cry was repressed into a moan, sounding even more uncomfortable.
Evan moved a bit, and Madam Pomfrey walked towards him from the end of the dark ward. He turned to look at her.
She took the largest piece of chocolate he had ever seen. It looked more like a small boulder.
“Ah, you’re awake!” said Madam Pomfrey, vividly, putting the piece of chocolate on the table bedside Evan and starting to crack it with a small hammer.
“I have something to say to the Headmaster.” Evan sat up in his bed.
“I don’t think it’s best for you. Both of you are absolutely exhausted, both physically and magically. You’d better lie in bed and wait until I think you’re okay.”
“No, this is very important.” Evan remembered the ominous dialogue between Greyback and his Black Masked companion. It was obvious that they were planning on doing something really bad.
Evan jumped out of bed, as did Hermione. Madam Pomfrey wanted to stop them, but their voices had already reached those who were in the hallway, Dumbledore, Cornelius Fudge, Professor McGonagall, Professor Flitwick, and Hagrid. All five immediately walked into the ward.
“Evan, Hermione, how are you now?” Hagrid rushed in anxiously, hugging both of them tightly, with tears of sadness falling on his tangled beard. He sobbed and said, “It was all my fault, I drank too much and it took me a while to react after I heard the werewolf howl.”
“We are all the same, Hagrid!” said Professor McGonagall. “We’re all responsible for this matter. We should have responded more quickly.”
“Who would have thought that in Hogsmeade, this kind of thing would happen on Christmas Eve? But now that we are here, you will not be bothered. You two better lie back.” Fudge turned to Pomfrey, Asking her “Did they eat chocolate?”
“Wait a minute, Minister, I have something to say.” Evan looked at Dumbledore and hurriedly said, “Those who attacked me and Hermione, they seem to be plotting something. They mentioned werewolves and Muggles…”
“Yeah!” Hermione hurriedly nodded. “There seems to be a gathering of werewolves, and they are going to attack Muggles.”
“Kids, you must have heard it wrong.” Fudge’s expression changed when he heard Evan and Hermione, and he looked uneasy at both of them. “It must be that attack that made your brains confused, both of you. Greyback, that horrible monster, must have terrified you.”
“I’m not afraid, and I’m not confused!” Evan said irritably. Fudge’s indolent attitude bothered him so much.
He could feel that all the Minister wanted was peace of mind.
If it was true that there were werewolves that are plotting to attack Muggles, such a thing would surely bring panic to the entire magic world. It was much more serious than Black’s Jailbreak.
After all, black was only one person, but werewolves were by the hundreds.
If what Evan and Hermione said actually were to happen, it would drive the angry crowds to submerge the Ministry with complaints. Fudge probably would end up losing his seat. This was certainly not something that he wanted to see.
“Kids, I know what you have endured” His lips moved up with difficulty to show a grudging smile. “What you need to do now is to stay in bed and rest until tomorrow morning. Then your minds will get back to being cle…”
“My head’s very clear now, and I know what I’m talking about!” Evan said loudly,” Minister, the attack is far from over. Someone had planned for all of this from behind the scenes. Only Greyback came to Hogsmeade, and the other werewolves were…”
He did not finish his words when Madam Pomfrey suddenly stuffed his mouth with a large piece of chocolate.
He was stunned and she seized this opportunity to force him back to bed.
“Gentlemen!” said Madam Pomfrey with exasperation. “I must insist that you should leave. These two children are my patients. You shouldn’t bother them!”
“Oh, I’m not upset. I’ll tell them what happened.” Evan desperately forced the large chunk of chocolate down his throat.
“Professors, what Evan said is true. I also heard the werewolf saying these things.” Hermione followed quickly.
“For God’s sake, you should hurry to lie back!” Madam Pomfrey turned and looked at Dumbledore and said hysterically. “Headmaster, please leave at once. These children need care. Is this the right place for this? In the hospital? I must insist…”
“I’m sorry Poppy, but I think it’s necessary for Mr. Mason and Miss Granger to continue.” Dumbledore said calmly, carefully staring at Evan through his pair of semi-circular glasses. “Cornelius, I think the information they gave is very valuable, and that Fenrir Greyback’s actions tonight were very suspicious.”
“Alright, alright, Albus, since you think so, then I’ll…”
Fudge’s words were not finished yet, and the ward’s door was opened. Snape, who was in a black robe, and Lucius Malfoy, who also wrapped his body tightly in a black travel cloak, came in. Both men’s faces were gloomy.
“Good evening, gentlemen!” Lucius’ face had a cold smile.
“Malfoy, what are you doing here?!” Hagrid stood up and looked up at Lucius with his big, hairy head. He shouted angrily. “Get out and leave Hogwarts. You are not welcome here!”
“My dear friend, please believe me. If it wasn’t an emergency, I wouldn’t have come here. I am not too happy to be here either.” Lucius looked at Hagrid disdainfully, smirking and saying, “And please be careful about your use of words. Three months ago, the Hippogriff, which you bred, attacked my son in your class. I had reason…”
“Okay, dear Lucius! That thing has been taken care of by the Committee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures. They will give you a statement in due time.” Fudge’s hand wiped the sweat off of his forehead and he didn’t want Malfoy to continue talking.
Thanks to the intervention of Newt Scamander and his association, the public opinion around the incident had been putting a lot of pressure on him, and there was no need complicate the matter anymore than that.
“Of course, Minister!” Lucius’ eyes glanced at Dumbledore, and then swiftly turned back to Fudge. “That little mishap is not a big matter. In fact, I have more urgent things. I learned from the ministry that you were here and I asked Severus to bring me in. I hope that I’m not disturbing anything. Dumbledore, you don’t mind that I hadn’t notified you of my arrival, do you? ”
“Of course not. Hogwarts is always open for people with goodwill. Come at anytime you like.” Dumbledore’s voice sounded very polite, but sparks of anger could be seen in his blue eyes.
“Thank you for your understanding. I just heard from Severus that an unfortunate attack had happened in Hogsmeade. Two students were attacked by a werewolf that had suddenly appeared.” Lucius’ clod gray eyes blinked as he looked at Evan and Hermione.
Evan immediately understood that he was the one who had planned for all this.
Chapter 121: Lucius’ Plot
For a while, no one spoke, the corridor was very quiet, and Evan thought they had already left.
Then, he heard a sound again. It was Hagrid’s resonant, loud cry.
“Keep it down, Hagrid, you will wake up the two children inside” Professor McGonagall said sternly. “I know you are worried about them, but can you please calm down for a moment? It’s been an hour since we came back from Hogsmeade, and you’re still crying!”
Hagrid wiped his tears with his large handkerchief and tried to calm himself down. His sad cry was repressed into a moan, sounding even more uncomfortable.
Evan moved a bit, and Madam Pomfrey walked towards him from the end of the dark ward. He turned to look at her.
She took the largest piece of chocolate he had ever seen. It looked more like a small boulder.
“Ah, you’re awake!” said Madam Pomfrey, vividly, putting the piece of chocolate on the table bedside Evan and starting to crack it with a small hammer.
“I have something to say to the Headmaster.” Evan sat up in his bed.
“I don’t think it’s best for you. Both of you are absolutely exhausted, both physically and magically. You’d better lie in bed and wait until I think you’re okay.”
“No, this is very important.” Evan remembered the ominous dialogue between Greyback and his Black Masked companion. It was obvious that they were planning on doing something really bad.
Evan jumped out of bed, as did Hermione. Madam Pomfrey wanted to stop them, but their voices had already reached those who were in the hallway, Dumbledore, Cornelius Fudge, Professor McGonagall, Professor Flitwick, and Hagrid. All five immediately walked into the ward.
“Evan, Hermione, how are you now?” Hagrid rushed in anxiously, hugging both of them tightly, with tears of sadness falling on his tangled beard. He sobbed and said, “It was all my fault, I drank too much and it took me a while to react after I heard the werewolf howl.”
“We are all the same, Hagrid!” said Professor McGonagall. “We’re all responsible for this matter. We should have responded more quickly.”
“Who would have thought that in Hogsmeade, this kind of thing would happen on Christmas Eve? But now that we are here, you will not be bothered. You two better lie back.” Fudge turned to Pomfrey, Asking her “Did they eat chocolate?”
“Wait a minute, Minister, I have something to say.” Evan looked at Dumbledore and hurriedly said, “Those who attacked me and Hermione, they seem to be plotting something. They mentioned werewolves and Muggles…”
“Yeah!” Hermione hurriedly nodded. “There seems to be a gathering of werewolves, and they are going to attack Muggles.”
“Kids, you must have heard it wrong.” Fudge’s expression changed when he heard Evan and Hermione, and he looked uneasy at both of them. “It must be that attack that made your brains confused, both of you. Greyback, that horrible monster, must have terrified you.”
“I’m not afraid, and I’m not confused!” Evan said irritably. Fudge’s indolent attitude bothered him so much.
He could feel that all the Minister wanted was peace of mind.
If it was true that there were werewolves that are plotting to attack Muggles, such a thing would surely bring panic to the entire magic world. It was much more serious than Black’s Jailbreak.
After all, black was only one person, but werewolves were by the hundreds.
If what Evan and Hermione said actually were to happen, it would drive the angry crowds to submerge the Ministry with complaints. Fudge probably would end up losing his seat. This was certainly not something that he wanted to see.
“Kids, I know what you have endured” His lips moved up with difficulty to show a grudging smile. “What you need to do now is to stay in bed and rest until tomorrow morning. Then your minds will get back to being cle…”
“My head’s very clear now, and I know what I’m talking about!” Evan said loudly,” Minister, the attack is far from over. Someone had planned for all of this from behind the scenes. Only Greyback came to Hogsmeade, and the other werewolves were…”
He did not finish his words when Madam Pomfrey suddenly stuffed his mouth with a large piece of chocolate.
He was stunned and she seized this opportunity to force him back to bed.
“Gentlemen!” said Madam Pomfrey with exasperation. “I must insist that you should leave. These two children are my patients. You shouldn’t bother them!”
“Oh, I’m not upset. I’ll tell them what happened.” Evan desperately forced the large chunk of chocolate down his throat.
“Professors, what Evan said is true. I also heard the werewolf saying these things.” Hermione followed quickly.
“For God’s sake, you should hurry to lie back!” Madam Pomfrey turned and looked at Dumbledore and said hysterically. “Headmaster, please leave at once. These children need care. Is this the right place for this? In the hospital? I must insist…”
“I’m sorry Poppy, but I think it’s necessary for Mr. Mason and Miss Granger to continue.” Dumbledore said calmly, carefully staring at Evan through his pair of semi-circular glasses. “Cornelius, I think the information they gave is very valuable, and that Fenrir Greyback’s actions tonight were very suspicious.”
“Alright, alright, Albus, since you think so, then I’ll…”
Fudge’s words were not finished yet, and the ward’s door was opened. Snape, who was in a black robe, and Lucius Malfoy, who also wrapped his body tightly in a black travel cloak, came in. Both men’s faces were gloomy.
“Good evening, gentlemen!” Lucius’ face had a cold smile.
“Malfoy, what are you doing here?!” Hagrid stood up and looked up at Lucius with his big, hairy head. He shouted angrily. “Get out and leave Hogwarts. You are not welcome here!”
“My dear friend, please believe me. If it wasn’t an emergency, I wouldn’t have come here. I am not too happy to be here either.” Lucius looked at Hagrid disdainfully, smirking and saying, “And please be careful about your use of words. Three months ago, the Hippogriff, which you bred, attacked my son in your class. I had reason…”
“Okay, dear Lucius! That thing has been taken care of by the Committee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures. They will give you a statement in due time.” Fudge’s hand wiped the sweat off of his forehead and he didn’t want Malfoy to continue talking.
Thanks to the intervention of Newt Scamander and his association, the public opinion around the incident had been putting a lot of pressure on him, and there was no need complicate the matter anymore than that.
“Of course, Minister!” Lucius’ eyes glanced at Dumbledore, and then swiftly turned back to Fudge. “That little mishap is not a big matter. In fact, I have more urgent things. I learned from the ministry that you were here and I asked Severus to bring me in. I hope that I’m not disturbing anything. Dumbledore, you don’t mind that I hadn’t notified you of my arrival, do you? ”
“Of course not. Hogwarts is always open for people with goodwill. Come at anytime you like.” Dumbledore’s voice sounded very polite, but sparks of anger could be seen in his blue eyes.
“Thank you for your understanding. I just heard from Severus that an unfortunate attack had happened in Hogsmeade. Two students were attacked by a werewolf that had suddenly appeared.” Lucius’ clod gray eyes blinked as he looked at Evan and Hermione.
Evan immediately understood that he was the one who had planned for all this.
